MCLU Joins Maine Won’t Discriminate
Urges Defense of Maine’s Civil Rights Law
June 29, 2005; For immediate release
AUGUSTA, Maine – The MCLU has joined a broad-based bipartisan coalition of Maine citizens, businesses, religious and political organizations operating under the banner of Maine Won’t Discriminate. This coalition is organized and ready to take on the so-called “people’s veto” campaign, which will try to repeal Maine’s anti-discrimination law.
It appears that a group led by the Maine Christian Civic League has collected enough signatures to force a referendum this fall on recently enacted legislation, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing, education, credit and public accommodation.
“We are very disappointed that the Maine Christian Civic League and its allies have apparently gathered enough signatures to force a vote this fall, but we are ready and eager for this campaign to begin,” said Jesse Connolly, campaign manager for Maine Won’t Discriminate. “Unfortunately, their signature-gathering effort has been based on fear, deceit and distortion, and that is the same kind of campaign we can expect from Michael Heath over the next four months.”
Connolly said that Maine Won’t Discriminate (www.mainewontdiscriminate.com) has been laying the groundwork for this campaign and has already assembled a strong bi-partisan campaign team and a broad coalition of individuals and organizations to uphold Maine’s anti-discrimination law.
“Unlike their effort, our campaign will be about what is actually in the law and why it is needed,” said Ted O’Meara, advisor to the campaign. “We will demonstrate that the vast majority of Maine people do not practice or condone discrimination, and that they support the need for these fundamental protections for all Maine citizens.”
Earlier this year, a bipartisan majority of the legislature passed, and Governor Baldacci signed, LD 1196, “An Act To Extend Civil Rights Protections to All People Regardless of Sexual Orientation.” The bill was sponsored by Republican State Senator Karl Turner of Cumberland and co-sponsored by Democratic State Representative Anne Perry of Calais.
At the public hearing
in March, testimony was given about real cases of discrimination in Maine and
the bill received widespread support from ordinary citizens as well as business
and religious leaders across the state.
“A discrimination-free workplace must be part of doing business in Maine
if we are to grow and prosper as a state,” said Dana Connors, president
of the Maine Chamber of Commerce, the state’s largest business organization,
which supported passage of LD 1196. “Maine needs to join the other New
England states in putting this law on the books and keeping it there.”
If the Secretary of State certifies that opponents of the law have indeed succeeded in collecting at least 50,519 valid signatures, the bill will not become law unless a majority votes “no” on the repeal in a statewide referendum this November.
“We regret that Maine people must endure another divisive fight on this issue of basic fairness and human rights,” said Tom Ewell, executive director of the Maine Council of Churches. “However, all of us involved in this effort, including those of us in the religious community, are committed to the success of this campaign and to putting this issue to rest once and for all.”
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Contact: Shenna Bellows, MCLU, (207) 774-5444, sbellows@mclu.org